Facebook profile triggers lover’s quarrel

ALL it took for a sweet affair to turn sour—and violent—was the posting of a Facebook profile.

A lady courtside reporter of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) on Tuesday filed charges of violation of violence against women and children before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against her former boyfriend who allegedly choked inside the latter’s residence following their break-up on Saturday.

Thistle Guevara popularly known as Sel Guevara in the PBA charged executive chef Robert Eric Spakowski, 35, for violating Republic Act 9262 otherwise known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Law.

She swore before a Quezon City fiscal and attached in her complaint a copy of her two-page sworn statement, where she narrated the incidents that resulted in the alleged choking incident.

In her statement, the courtside reporter said she and Spakowski broke up on Friday over a profile photo that she posted on Facebook.

After dinner with friends Guevara went Spakowski’s place at dawn on Saturday after receiving a text message from him asking if she had already acknowledged her mistake.

With the text message Guevara presumed that Spakowski wanted to talk to her prompting her to go to her former boyfriend’s house.

The helper at the house asked her to just go straight to Spakowski’s bedroom.

Instead of a conversation, Guevara claimed that her former boyfriend choked and dragged her until they were at the stairs of his house. She said it was the first time that Spakowski hurt her.

Guevara was accompanied by members of child welfare group Akap Bata and anti-VAWC advocate Mariposa network when she filed her case.

In a statement, the two groups lauded the reporter for pursuing the case.

“Hopefully, more women and girl children who experience the same will be inspired to follow her lead,” said Mara Manalang of Akap Bata.

Spakowski has yet to issue a statement on the issue to answer the allegations against him.